Strand guiding and tensioning device



A. KUETTLER, JR, ETAL ,655,325

STRAND GUIDING AND TENSIONING DEVICE Oct. I 13, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1949 INVENTORS A. K05 771.55, JR. F. /?4 DA k0 we a Y ATTORNEY 1953 A. KUETTLER, JR, ETAL 2,655,325

STRAND GUIDING AND TENSIONING DEVICE Filed Oct. 5, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 five/Woks A K0072 Had/P. RA DA xra y/ch' Patented Oct. 13, 1 953 UNITED S PAT ENT F] I C E STRANDGUIDING AND TENSIGNiNGIDEVICE Arthur Kuet'tler, .11., Berwyn, and FredRad-a'kovich, Chicago, 111., assignors to Western Elecflari'c Company, incorporated, New York, N. 'Y., a corporationof Ncw York Applicationflctobcr 5, 1949, Serial No. 119,586

, 'GClaims. 1

ZIhis invention relates .to a strand .tensioning device and more particularly :to arotary device .ior *tensioning wire ifor use .in a .coil winding it :is .an ebjectbf the present invention -to .provide an (improved :addustable rotary device for applying a variable 'tensien to -a moving strand. iIn one embodiment .of the invention, a pair of resilient sellers are mounted in spaced relation to each ether for engagement at spaced points with the meripheryef as, metal roller to friction- :allyand :rctatabl-y enga e a wire disposed therebetween. The resilient :mllers are mounted on the ends of -a pressure equalizing lever pivoted intermediate its ends and the metal roller is ;mnunted for movement toward and away from the =nesilient rollers "to permit the threading of the rstrand between the rollers, and an adjustable docking mechanism holds the metal roller :in @adiustediposition and is operab1e to vary the jpressm'e between the resilient rollers and the .metal roller to apply a selectively variable tenzsion-tovthemoving strand disposed therebetween.

rln another embodiment -.of the .invention, .a strand is guided between and gripped :at spaced 3130311128 by .a pair of spaced-apart resilient rollers mounted on fixed axes and -.a movable metal roller mounted Ior :movement .toward and away .from said resilient rollers .andsupported for free ...movement :tnansversely .to the direction .of said first movement to .permit the equalization of pressure between ,said .metal roller and .the resilient rollers. Adjusting means serves to vary the ,pressure between the metal .roller .and the resilient rollers to apply a variable tension to the moving strand disposed .betweensaid metal and resilient rollers.

Instill another embodiment of the invention, ithe strand is passed .between a resilient and a nonresilient roller, one of which i mounted for movementrelative to the other and has adjust- .able .means :for moving it into engagement with the other roller to irictionally and .rollingly eng e-a strand passing therebetween and for ap- .plying a variable tension to 'saidmoving strand.

Qther objects :and features of the invention willbecome apparent by reference to the following description and theaccompanying drawings illustrating several embodiments thereof in which Fig. .1 is a somewhat diagrammatic vertical .sectionalelevational view of a coil winding march-inc showing the strand guide and .tensioning device in position therein;

, Fig. .2 is an enlarged detail @face view :of the strand guide and tensioning device;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the devicesimilar to Fig. 2 showing parts of the tensioning device in open position to permit the insertionof .a strand therein;

Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical sectional views taken on the line 44 and .5-5, respectively, of Fig. 2.;

Fig. 61s a plan sectional view taken on'the line 6- 6 .of Fig.2 and Figs. 7 and 8 are elevational views similar ltO Fig. 3 illustrating modified forms of construction of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, particularly 1, the strand guide and tensioning device 1,0 is shown in connection withacoil winding machine 12 having a rotatable mandrel l4 about which alternate layers 'of a strand 1.6 and stripsof paper l8 are wound to form acoil. Thestrand i6 is unwound from a reel and passes through a guide member .21 into the tensioning device Ill. Mounted on a reciprocable distributihg rod 24, the wire guide and tensioning device ID is reciprocated axially of the mandrel M in timed relation with the rotation .of the mandrel.

The wire guide and tensioning .device I comprises a vertically disposed main supportingplate ;25,'on-which are mounted, .for movement, .a pair of resilient rollers -21 and 28 and a nonresilient roller 30. The .tensioning rollers 21,, 2:8 and 30 have cylindrical ,peripheral surfaces and the roller 30 is mounted '-for :movement :into and outof peripheral engagement with the resilient rollers 21 and .28 to facilitate the threading of a strand [6 into operative engagement with the rollers and also to adjust the pressure between the roller .30 and the resilient rollers 21 and .28. To equalize the pressure between the roller 30 and the resilient rollers, the resilient rollers '2?! and 28 are mounted on the ends of a pressure equalizing member 31 which is -,pivotally supported intermediate its ends on a :pivot stud 32 fixed to -.theplate 2.5. The member -3-| preferably is .in the .form of a bell crank with the pivot 32 located at the elbow thereof. "Made from any suitable resilient or yieldable material, such as rubber, the rollers .21 and =28 :are each provided with an annular metal insert -35 having :a concentric bore into which may tbe pressedan Oilite bearing bushing '36 having cylindrical bearing surfaces concentric with the periphery of the roller. The rollers .21 .and 28 are rotatably mounted on cylindrical bearing pins 38 secured to the ends of the pressure equalizing bell crank lever 3.! and the .rollersare retained on the hearing pins 38 by spli'tretaining washers 4D en gageableingroove'sinthe bearing pins.

The nonresilient roller "3'0 is preferably made a from metal and has a bore for receiving a bearing bushing 48 which hasa cylindricalbearing surface concentric with the periphery of the roller. A cylindrical bearing member 50 rotatably supports the roller 30 and is fixed to one end 52 of a cross arm of a substantially T-shaped supporting bracket 54 and is grooved for receiving a retaining washer '5 for retaining the roller 30 thereon. The supporting bracket 54, at its lower end, is pivotally supported for limited pivotal movement on a stud 51 secured to the plate and is provided with a shoulder 58 engageable With a pin 59 on the plate 25 for limiting the swinging movement of the supporting bracket 54 and the roller in one direction.

Extending from the other arm '80 of the T-shaped supporting member 54 is a pin or stud GI, which is engageable with the end of an adjustable set screw 62 threadedly mounted in the end 63 of a latch member '04 and held in adjusted position therein by a lock nut I55. The latch member 54 is pivotally attached to the supporting plate 25 for swinging movement about the pivot stud 32. In the lower or normal operative position of the latching member 54, in which position it is supported by a stop pin 63 on the plate 25, the set screw 62 is positioned slightly below dead center of the stud GI to lock the latch [54 in position and serves to move the supporting bracket 54 to the right, Fig. 2, and to hold the roller 30 in engagement with the resilient rollers 21 and 28. The latch 84 may be swung upwardly to an inoperative position, as indicated in Fig. 3, to permit the roller 36 and the supporting bracket '54 to be moved to an open position, also indicated in Fig. 3, to facilitate the threading of a strand into operative position with the tensioning rollers. The strand is guided for movement in a plane parallel to the face of the supporting plate 25 and in alignment with the a tensioning rollers by suitable guide means including upper and lower guides 12 and 14, respectively. Each of the guides 12 and 14 comprises a pair of spaced substantially fiat sheet metal members secured to the plate 25 in laterally 1 spaced relation to each other to receive the wire therebetween. The strand I6, as it leaves the tensioning rollers 21 and 28, passes around a grooved idler roller 16 rotatably mounted on the supporting plate "25. passes around a portion of the flanged idler guide roller 18 mounted for rotation on the supporting plate 25.

It will be seen that in the embodiment just described the strand engages a substantial periphery of the metal tensioning roller 30 and is pressed into engagement therewith at spaced points by the resilient tensioning rollers 21 and 28 and has a tension or drag applied thereto created by the frictional resistance of the rollers on their respective bearing members. By adjusting the set screw 62, the pressure between the roller 30 and the resilient rollers 21 and 28 may be varied to vary the frictional resistance between the bearings and their respective rollers and thus permit the application of a selectively variable tension to the strand.

The structure of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. '7 is similar to that illustrated in Figs. 2 to 6 except that the resilient rollers I21 and I28, corresponding to rollers 21 and 28, are mounted for rotation about bearing members I29I29 mounted in fixed position on the main supporting plate I25. A metal roller I30, similar to the roll er 30, is mounted for rotation on a cylindrical As the strand continues, it

bearing I 3I fixed to one end of a supporting arm I32. The supporting arm I32 has a pivotal connection I6I to an oscillatable supporting lever I54 mounted for limited swinging movement about the pivot I51. The roller I30 and the supporting arm I32 have a restricted rocking movement about the pivotal connection I6I, limited by stop lugs I'58--I58 formed on the supporting member I54. The pivotal connection I6I has an outwardly extending stud formed thereon similar to the stud 6|, and a set screw I62 adjustably mounted in an oscillatable latch I64 engages the stud I BI and serves to hold the roller I30 in engagement with the rollers I21 and I28. In this construction, the roller I30 is freely movable in a vertical direction so that, as it is moved into compressive engagement with the rollers I21 and I23, it is free to adjust its position and equalize the pressure between itself and the resilient rollers and thereby cause the strand to be gripped with equal pressure between the roller I30 and the rollers I21 and I28.

In the construction of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 8, the strand is engaged between a pair of'tensioning rollers, one of which is resilient and one of which is mounted for movement relative to the other to selectively vary the tension applied to the strand. A yieldable roller 221 is mounted for rotation about a cylindrical bearing 229 mounted in fixed position on a supporting plate 225. The other roller 230 of the pair of tensioning rolls is mounted for rotation about a cylindrical bearing member 23I, which is fixedly mounted on a supporting bracket 254. The supporting arm 254, which is identical with the supporting arm 54, is mounted for limited oscillating movement about a pivot 251 and an adjustable set screw 252, carried by an oscillatable latch member 254 similar to latch 64, engages a'stud 26! on the supporting arm 254 to hold the roller 230 in engagement with the roller 221. The set screw 252 may be adjusted to control the pres sure between the rollers 221 and 230 to selectively vary the tension applied to the strand passing between the rollers.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A strand tensioning device comprising a supporting plate. a pair of resilient rollers having strand engaging peripheries, a pressure equalizing member, means mounting said resilient rollers for rotation on said member about parallel axes and in predetermined spaced relation to each other, means mounting said member for pivotal movement on said plate about an axis intermediate said rollers, a nonresilient roller having a strand engaging periphery, means including an oscillatable supporting member pivotally mounted on said plate for rotatably supporting said nonresilient roller and for guiding said roller for movement into and out of peripheral engagement with said resilient rollers, and a latch member pivotally mounted on said plate and having an adjustable locking member thereon engageable with said supporting member for holding said nonresilient roller in engagement with said resilient rollers and for adjusting the pressure therebetween.

2. A strand tensioning device comprising a supporting plate, an arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said plate, a pair of resilient rollers having strand engaging peripheries and rotatably mounted on the ends of said arm in spaced relation to each other, a nonresilient roller having a strand engaging periphery engageable at spaced points thereon with the peripheries of said resilient rollers for gripping a strand disposed therebetween, movable supporting means on said plate for supporting said nonresilient roller for rotation and for guiding said roller into and out of engagement with said resilient rollers, and adjustable means engageable with said supporting means for holding said nonresilient roller in engagement with said resilient rollers, and for adjusting the pressure between the nonresilient and resilient rollers.

3. A strand tensioning device comprising a supporting member, an arm pivotally mounted intermediate its end on said member, a pair of resilient rollers having strand engaging peripheries mounted on the ends of said arm in spaced relation to each other, a non-resilient roller, av second arm pivotally mounted on said supporting member and rotatably supporting said nonresilient roller for oscillating movement through a predetermined path to and from an open position in spaced relation to said resilient rollers and a closed position in engagement'with said resilient rollers for gripping a strand disposed therebetween, a latch member mounted on said supporting member having an element engageable with said second arm in its closed position for holding said non-resilient roller in engagement with said resilient rollers, and means for adjusting said element on said latch member to vary the pressure between said rollers.

4. A device for applying a tension to a moving strand comprising a pair of rollers having strand engaging peripheries, a member supporting said rollers for rotation in predetermined fixed spaced relation to each other, a third roller having a strand engaging periphery engageable at spaced points thereon with the peripheries of said pair of rollers, supporting means mounting said third roller for movement into a closed position in engagement with said pair of rollers and an open position in spaced relation to said pair of rollers, adjacent rollers alternately having hard and resilient peripheries to provide cooperating hard and soft gripping surfaces on adjacent rollers for gripping said strand therebetween, said supporting means comprising an element mounted on said member for movement in a predetermined path toward and away from said rollers and a second element rotatably supporting said third roller and pivotally mounted on said first element in spaced relation to said third roller for guiding said roller for free floating movement transversely to the movement of said first element to permit the equalization of pressure between said third roller and said pair of rollers during the rotation of the rollers and the movement of the strand therebetween, and adjustable means cooperating with said supporting means; for locking said third roller in engagement with said pair of rollers under various pressures.

5. A device for tensioning a moving strand comprising a pair of rollers having strand engaging peripheries, means for supporting said rollers for rotation about parallel axes in a predetermined fixed spaced relation to each other, a third roller having a strand engaging periphery engageable at spaced points thereon with the periphery of said pair of rollers, a first arm for rotatably supporting said third roller thereon, a second arm for pivotally supporting said first arm thereon for movement about a first axis spaced from said third roller, means supporting said second arm on said supporting means for pivotal movement about a second axis in spaced relation to said first axis, said parts being arranged to permit movement of said second arm and the first arm and roller carried thereby in one direction toward and away from said pair of rollers to move said third roller into and out of engagement with said pair of rollers and to permit free pivotal movement of said first arm and the roller thereon transversely to said one direction to effect the equalization of pressure between said third roller and said pair of rollers during the rotation of the rollers and the movement of the strand therebetween, and latch means having an adjustable element engageable with said second arm for locking said third roller in engagement with said pair of rollers under various pressures.

6. A strand tensioning device comprising a supporting member, an arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said member, a pair of rollers having strand engaging peripheries mounted on the ends of said arm in spaced relation to each other, a third roller, an element mounted on said supporting member for movement through a predetermined path and for rotatably supporting said third roller for movement to and from an open position in spaced relation to said pair of rollers and a closed position in engagement with said pair of rollers for gripping a strand disposed therebetween, and means engageable with said element for holding said third roller in engagement with said pair of rollers under various pressures.

ARTHUR KUETTLER, JR. FRED RADAKOVICH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 17,835 Hoagland July 21, 1857 377,647 Shuman Feb. 7, 1888 669,370 Phillips Mar. 5, 1901 723,682 Kortright Mar. 24, 1903 1,687,261 Spink Oct. 9, 1928 

